November 8, 2017 AT 1:00 am

When You Want to Be an Amazing Dragonfly #WearableWednesday #wearabletech #Arduino

Is it a shrug or would you call it a capelet? The idea of dragonfly wings encircling the neck is enchanting, and it’s another successful project by students at the School of Design, Victoria University of Wellington. The project combines fabric wing pieces which appear hand-painted with soft tulle to create the mysterious glint of a dragonfly. Here’s the team’s description.

Flutter incorporates several elements of a dragonfly, and provides the viewer with a multi-sensory insight into the form of the dragonfly while providing an elegant and visually spectacular display of motion, light and structure. Its form encases the wearer like armour, projecting a strength through the strong movement of the wings and rigidity of the forms.

The flutter effect may be an Arduino with a micro-servo tied into both of the main pieces. It’s subtle and really does a great job of biomimicry. The glowing LEDs not only resemble eyes, but they also add more glimmer to the wings. This is a beautiful piece that is earning a place in my top ten for the year. It’s the sweet spot where art and nature meet tech, and so I’m sending congrats to Josie Hemi, Andrew Moffat and Isabella Stratton. Keep making the magic happen! For those with an interest in movement for costumes, check out our learning guide for an Animatronic Servo Tail. Servos and fur are the perfect recipe for fun.